Sedona Red Rock High School basketball teams were supposed to celebrate Senior Night in between the girls and boys games against Northland Prep Academy on Feb. 26. But that day, news came out of a positive COVID-19 test within the program, which caused that game, as well as the scheduled regular season finale on March 1 against Glendale Prep to be canceled.
For the boys team, it meant the end of their season altogether. For the girls, it meant the end of their regular season, although the Scorpion girls are seeded No. 3 in the state playoffs, which get underway on Wednesday, March 10.
But for the seven seniors in the program — Jamie Alagna, Cody Brefeld, Matt Capozzi, Jaiah Grondin, Joey Johnson and Eric Schrader from the boys team and Lesly Suarez from the girls team — it meant no Senior Night.
To give them a chance to keep some of the regular Senior Night traditions, we asked them three questions. These were their responses.
Jamie Alagna
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?: “Going on hikes with the team during my junior year.”
What are your plans post high school?: “I will be majoring in Biomedical Sciences at Barrett Honors College at ASU.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?: “This year has taught me that life is unfair sometimes. At the end of the day, you need to learn to get past misfortune and grow stronger instead of wallowing in defeat.”
Cody Brefeld
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?: “My best memories from this season — which was my only season playing basketball in high school — were definitely the conversations we would have on the bus rides to pass time.”
What are your plans post high school?: “I plan to go to ASU and study earth and space exploration — which is astrophysics.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?: “I have learned how to work hard on the things I do in order to get better.”
Matt Capozzi
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?:
“Going to the gym every day after school and just balling with my friends. I came here five years ago and they brought me in and accepted me into their group. It has been amazing growing up with these guys and creating our little family. I am so grateful to these guys for everything they’ve done for me and what we’ve done with each other.
“I am confident we’ll be telling our kids about all the stupid things we got into. By no means are we done — we just can get in a lot more trouble now. I love these guys and I’m happy we got to grow up into the young men we are today.”
What are your plans post high school?: “I will be attending the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University in the fall. I will be studying to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?: “I’ve learned that I’m getting old and I need to ice my body after practice every day.”
Jaiah Grondin
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?: “Probably the bus rides home.”
What are your plans post high school?: “I am going into the Marines. My goal in the Marines is to hopefully pursue a career in special forces.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?: “One thing basketball has taught me this year is to not to take anything for granted and that life may change in the blink of an eye. So we have to live life to the fullest because tomorrow is never promised.”
Joey Johnson
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?: “My favorite memory from basketball was just getting to play every game with my brothers on the court.”
What are your plans post high school?: “Attending NAU and I am undecided on what I want to study.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?: “The biggest lesson I learned is the inevitability of failure because you will fail but you can always bounce back and make the next shot. But most importantly never pass up a shot because you will never know if you will get another one.”
Eric Schrader
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?: “Hitting a three-pointer in practice to save the team from doing 90 push-ups.”
What are your plans post high school?: “After high school I will be attending NAU and majoring in exercise science.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?: “This was my first year playing basketball so the lessons I have learned are to go outside of your comfort zone and to try new things.”
Lesly Suarez
What is your best memory of playing basketball at SRRHS?: “I have a lot of favorite memories but I’ll narrow them down.
“The first just happened this year, was when Schrader got in the game and shot a technical free throw and made it. Our girls team went ballistic as did everyone else. We were all so happy for him and you could tell he was, too. A lot of memories aren’t surrounded just playing basketball but being around my amazing teammates and friends. Playing basketball at Red Rock has been amazing and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.”
What are your plans post high school?:
“First, I’d like to first reach the finish line and walk that stage at graduation with my diploma in hand — that’s my one big goal. My plans include studying at Yavapai Community College at the campus in Prescott in hopes of becoming an athletic trainer like Mrs. B [SRRHS athletic trainer and sports medicine teacher, Andrea Bagnall]. I will study there for one year and finish my studies the next three years at Northern Arizona University, where I want to major in athletic training and hopefully a minor in sports entertainment or apply to their school of music.
“For the most part I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do. I want to accomplish a lot of things and the sky is the limit.”
What lessons have you learned from your time playing basketball in high school?:
“I’ve learned that basketball is sometimes more than just basketball. All the nights I spent in the gym just working taught me to stay persistent and to never give up. A lot of the things I learned while playing basketball happened with Coach [Kirk] Westervelt. I was told to never give up, ever.
“High school isn’t forever, but a good work ethic, motivation and the drive to keep going is, and it will take you to places farther than you could have ever imagined. And lastly, the best is yet to come. You never know if the season you’re going through right now will last a day or a lifetime. It’s important to never take your eyes off the light at the end of the tunnel.”
